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Armenia-Turkey Border Opening to Weaken Georgian Transport Role

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  • Armenia-Turkey Border Opening to Weaken Georgian Transport Role

    Armenia-Turkey Border Opening to Weaken Georgian Transport Role

    http://www.asbarez.com/2009/09/25/armenia-tu rkey-border-opening-to-weaken-georgian-transport-r ole/
    By Asbarez Staff on Sep 25th


    YEREVAN - The Russian owned South Caucasus Railway Company is ready to
    resume railway transport between Armenia and Turkey,' a high level
    official from the company said Thursday, adding that the opening of
    the border will diminish Georgia's role as a transport corridor in the
    region.

    Speaking to reporters at a press briefing in Yerevan, Marat Khakov
    said that the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border will decrease
    reliance on freight transports through Georgia, which Russia favors.

    `When Armenian-Turkish border is opened, Gyumri-Ayrum railway demand
    will be reduced,' he said.

    Khakov said the company discussed the issue with the ministry of
    Transport and Communication last week. He said the rail company is
    ready to activate all rail lines linking the two countries within two
    days once `corresponding political and technical agreements are made.'

    He said the Russian-owned company plans on investing a total of 1.2
    billion rubles in Armenia's rail infrastructure.

    It will also invest 600 million rubles over three years in the
    development of rail track and facilities in Armenia and another 10
    million rubles are earmarked for design and survey works, according to
    Khakov.

    He said that two refurbished locomotives will be introduced into the
    company's locomotive fleet this October and that halted railway
    traffic between Gyumri and Vanadzor will be resumed in a few months.

    Khakov also addressed the three railway accidents at the Masis and
    Noragavit stations, as well as at the Tumanyan-Shaghali crossing. In
    the first two cases, he explained, the accidents were caused by `a
    human factor.' In the third instance, Khakov said, the
    Tumanyan-Shaghali line is the most in need of repair.

    A technical diagnostics center to manage the development of Armenia's
    railways will be opened at the Masis station by next May, he added.
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